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Friday, May 28, 2010

Ok, so Ikea is having a huge sale. I am not getting paid, received no discount, or coupon for this. But wanted everyone who loves to save money, know that Ikea is having a BIG SALE. I am getting things ready for my wedding. I am trying to save money everywhere that I can. The one thing we have to take care of, is the center pieces. I just found candles, and candle holders for $.99. OMG...yes. I did not buy them all, so if you have an IKEA near you, check it out. My bestfriend checked it out on line and pass the information to me. I went on my lunch break and we walked out with plenty of items. Oh, another good sale was pillows $.99. It ends on Memorial Day or when it is gone. It started yesterday and it is going like hot cakes. Ikea carries many things for the home that I love. My rule is to buy things that are under $1.00. I spend $60.00 but my trunk is so full of things. Have fun shopping.

As soccer fans around the world prepare for the World Cup, IKEA invites U.S. families to join the “Celebra un Gol con IKEA!” contest. Families in Miami, Los Angeles, and the NY/NJ metro areas will be encouraged to gather in their living room to make a video in Spanish of how they celebrate when their favorite team scores a goal. The winning family will be awarded a $10,000 IKEA living room makeover to enjoy the World Cup semi-final and final games. Families would record a 1-minute video showing how they celebrate when their favorite team scores and upload to the web site CelebraUnGol.com. The grand prize winner is awarded an IKEA living room makeover of $10,000! For more information visit enamoratemasdetuhogar.com or CelebraUnGol.com.

***Disclosure-No compensation was received for this informational post. For more information go to www.celebraungol.com

The products qualifying for the exemption are:Air conditioners priced at $6,000 or lessRefrigerators priced at $2,000 or lessCeiling fansIncandescent and fluorescent light bulbsClothes washers*DishwashersDehumidifiersProgrammable thermostats*** Because most dryers use similar amounts of energy, ENERGY STAR does not label clothes dryers.** ENERGY STAR specification of programmable thermostats was suspended on December 31, 2009; however, any existing stock of ENERGY STAR labeled programmable thermostats offered for sale by retailers is still eligible for the exemption.Qualifying products will display the ENERGY STAR logo, which may appear on the appliance, the packaging or the Energy Guide label. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. Earning the ENERGY STAR means a product meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by these two federal agencies.There is no limit on the number of qualifying items one can purchase during this sales tax holiday, and an exemption certificate is not required.

The Singer -cd #11 It Might As Well Rain Until September2 Child Of Mine3 I Feel The Earth Move4 So Far Away5 It's Too Late6 You've Got A Friend7 Sweet Seasons8 Been To Canaan9 Corazón10 Jazzman11 Nightingale12 Only Love Is Real13 Will You Love Me Tomorrow/Some Kind Of Wonderful/Up On The Roof; Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\ Some Kind Of Wonderful\ Up On14 Really Rosie15 Pierre16 You Can Do Anything17 The Reason18 Now And Forever

The Songwriter -cd#21 Will You Love Me Tomorrow2 Take Good Care Of My Baby3 Every Breath I Take4 Crying In The Rain5 The Loco-Motion6 Up On The Roof7 Chains8 One Fine Day9 Oh No Not My Baby10 Just Once In My Life11 Pleasant Valley Sunday12 A Natural Woman13 No Easy Way Down14 Wasn't Born To Follow15 Hey Girl

This 2 cd package took me back. Have you been sitting in from of your tv, and an infomercial comes on with songs from back in the days, or oldies? I am not calling anyone old, that is what they call it. Or have you been at the club, weddings, or a party and they start planning songs you use to love. Put Carole King's cd #1 in and let it take you back. I sangalong to her cd. I know I am 31 but I grew up listening to these songs play. I am not good with names or faces, so I will be honest when I heard Carole King, I had no idea who this was. But I threw cd#1 in and knew exactly who this was. I knew all the songs. Cd#2 are songs she wrote. This cd pack shows tha talent of Carole King. Cd#2 has great songs I knew as well. This duo pack is great. I will be adding some of these songs to my wedding playlist.

***Disclosure-I received a copy of these cd for the review. No monetary compensation was received.

Playlist-1 Believe2 Yes I See God3 The Master's Hand4 Heaven's Just A Prayer Away5 Golden Streets Of Glory6 How Great Thou Art7 I'll Keep Climbing8 Book Of Life9 Wings Of A Dove10 Lord Hold My Hand11 Comin' For To Carry Me Home11 Would You Know Him (If You Saw Him)12 Comin' For To Carry Me Home13 Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man14 God's Coloring Book15 Letter To Heaven16 Sacred Memories17 The Seeker

Yes, I am a fan of Dolly. Who isn't? In our office for Christmas, we normally listen to Dolly's Christmas cd, and my favorite song is Hard Candy Christmas. We singalong to it. I mean everyone in the office. So of course I knew I was going to love this cd which has great church music I grew up singing in church with a Dolly twist. I loved it. It's something about Dolly's voice that is different than anyone else. Her versions of the songs azre so beautiful. I sangalong to every song. Not that I am good or sound like Dolly.Dolly's cd is on amazon.com, samples of the songs are available there too.

***Disclosure-I received a copy of this cd for my review. No compensation was received. This is Independentmami's honest opinion.

Yoursphere is a great way for your tweens and teens to keep busy this summer. My son has joined. It free to join.Log in now using this code: YSMC-0064

My son enjoys playing free games, and meeting new friends his age. He has been a little sad because he graduated from 5th grade and is going to middle school. A middle school he did not choose to go to, and where none of his friends are going. He has really enjoyed playing on Yoursphere. And I really like that I can manage and see what he does. It is parent and kid-friendly, not like letting them use facebook or myspace. I have no problem with facebook or myspace as I love using my accounts, but I fear that there could be a danger for kids on those sites. SO if you are looking for a safe site for your kiddos, try Yoursphere.

***Disclosure-I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review.

Are ready for some fun in the sun? It is summer time, so what are you waiting for. If you are like me, sun protection is a must. I protect my family before, during, and after we go out in the sun. It is hard to find a sun screen product that gives you coverage.

The New Hawaiian Tropic SPF 50 Sheer Touch Creme Lotion is great. I love being in the sun but I hate having a sun burn afterwards. I burn easily. I tried the New Hawaiian Tropic SPF 50 Sheer Touch Creme Lotion and it worked. It is a creme lotion so it will be thick when you put it on. I loved how great it smelled. It offered me the full coverage protection I needed. So this Memorial Day Weekend, hit the outdoors but be protected. Sun burns are no fun, trust me, I should know. Have fun and be safe.SPF 50Sheer Touch Crème LotionIndulge and protect your skin with our line of Skin Beauty Protection products. Rich, creamy formulas infused with an exotic blend of flora and fruit extracts provide your skin with optimal coverage. Now with our new and improved signature tropical coconut scent!Features & Benefits:• NEW indulgent crème form!• NEW exotic coconut scent!• Formulated with our patented SunSure® Technology- Tested in the natural sunlight!- Less chemical sunscreens- Advanced UVA Protection• Very water resistant• Oil-free & non-greasy

Do you like coupons? There is a coupon you can print when you go to http://www.hawaiiantropic.com/Promotions/.***Disclosure-Thanks to my membership in SheSpeaks, I received a bottle of Hawaiian Tropic , 3 sample pks and 5 coupons to pass out. These are Independentmami's honest opinions. No monetary compensation was received.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Get a coupon for a FREE 59oz or 64oz Tropicana Pure Premium® (Max Value $4.99) AND a reward of your choice!

Tropicana Pure Premium®

Enjoy Tropicana on us! Get a coupon for a FREE Tropicana Pure Premium® AND any reward you would like*!

Redemption Instructions1.If you’d like to redeem this reward, click “GET REWARD”. Your points will automatically be deducted from your account.2.A pop up window via Coupons Inc. will appear where you will be prompted to enter in your mailing address and information.3.Once you submit your information, your coupon will be mailed to you and you should receive it in approximately 7-10 business days.4.You will be directed to a page within tropicana.com that will provide information and next steps to redeem the reward of your choice.5.Read the instructions and follow the steps to redeem your reward.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Sorry for the inconvenience. If you are having issues or problems viewing my page. I have purchased my domain name and am in transition. We will be back as soon as possible. Stay tuned for great product reviews and giveaways:

Monday, May 24, 2010

I know you are wondering how or why was I in Miami. I was invited to attend the relaunching of the web page quericavida.com.What is quericavida.com?Pues let me tell you, it is place where you can do it all. Te gustan las recetas, if you are like me, and your mom hasn't passed anything down, this is a place to go. They have coupons, recipes, family section, product section, sweepstakes, and much much more. This site has been relaunched with all the things you and I need.These are some of the things you can find now in these sections-

***Disclosure-Thanks to General Mill for providing Independentmami a trip to Miami to be a part of the relauching of quericavida.com. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this or any other post. These are my honest opinions.

If you were wondering where I was, I was in Miami. I have never been to Miami and never even imagined going there. But now I can check them off my list. As I arrived and waited for the airport shuttle, Miami welcomed me with a nice Hot, Sunny Hello. My hotel was a few clocks away from the beach, and the mall. I arrived at the hotel and decided I needed to go sightseeing. I decided to walk. I went towards the sign that said Macy's. I did not know at the time that I was going opposite from the beach. I asked someone if they could tell me where the mall was at and they pointed towards the Macy's, so I figured I was going the right way. I finally decided to pull my phone out and hit the navigation button. I was looking for a bank to get some cash out. I forgot to do this before I left. Needless to say the phone took my on a scavenger hunt that led me back to the spot where I started. At one point I ended on the other side of Downtown Miami. I was leaving Downtown and I knew something was wrong. I decided to just venture on. I walked through the Museum district. I stopped and got a bite to eat. I ate sofrito, which is smashed plantain that is fried. This plate has red beans, white rice, and a rotisserie chicken. It was wonderful. I asked the waitress about the mall and she headed me in the right direction. I headed towards the opposite end. I could see the beach. It was beautiful. Two of my favorite things together, was I in heaven, the beach and the mall. I walked the mall, and checked out the view. It was all beautiful.
Day 2-I woke up early, walked to Starbucks, and registered for my tours. The first tour was a city tour which took me to Ocean Dr, and South Beach. Ocean Dr is famous for all the movies that have benn filmed there. I also got to see the places where 2 of the shows that I watch are filmed, Miami Ink and DASH. I enjoyed learning about Miami and their beautiful history. I went to Calle Ocho in Little Habana. I tried Cuban coffee, and bought some cigars for my honey. I sat with the owner and watched as the cigars were being made. Cubans love to play Dominos, as they have a park in the middle of Little Habana. Time to take a lunch break at the Marina while I wait for my boat tour. I got on the boat and saw all the islands, and learned who lived where at Star Island. Did you know that there is an island, Foster Island, that takes $175,000 membership dues and you can only get there by helicopter or boat. The rich never seem to amaze me. Later on I enjoyed some of Miami's famous night life at a Sushi Bar. They had great music, food, and drinks.
Day 3-I relax by the pool, and by the beach. I ate food at a Peruvian restaurant that was really wonderful. It was a seafood plater to die for. I hated to say goodbye to Miami but I had to come home.
Miami was a wonderful place to have fun in the sun. I walked everywhere. I have never walked all of Downtown Houston but now I can say I walked all of Downtown Miami. Something about those palm trees everywhere.

***Disclosure-Thanks to General Mills for sponsoring this trip. These are my honest opinions. I was not told or asked to write about my Miami experience but I wanted to share.
This is only Part 1 of my adventure.

Fieldtrips are a very important part of a school lesson plan for many teachers. When teachers are able to take kids out of the classroom and into those other enviroments, kids can learn so much more. Some classrooms are not equipped with enought classroom tools, that is why they take fieldtrips to different places. I know when I was growing up I loved going on fieldtrips. My parents always worked and were not able to take us to these palces. My first experience at most of these places was with a teacher and my classmates. Unfortunately alot of classrooms, and schools don't have fieldtrips in their budgets. Sometimes parents don't have money to pay to take the kids to these places either. Lunchables is giving away 50 fieldtrips nationwide. All you have to do is nominate a classroom. Enter to win instantly, grab some coupons to local places, it's all there. Thanks to Lunchables for sending Independentmami and one of my readers to the Houston Zoo. We spent the day having fun and learning about all the animals. My winner is helping her brother raise his kids after a tragic accident. The kids recently lost their mother in a head on collision. All of the kids had a blast from seeing the animals, to getting wet in the sprinkler park. It was a day of adventures. But don't take my word, here are the kids...

***Disclosure-Lunchables provided Zoo tickets for admission, and Zoo bucks for food for our wonderful fieldtrip. I received a Sony digicam in order to record our field trip. No monetary compensation was provided. These are our honest opinions.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Apply for your chance to win a Playtex Bra Makeover today. The last day to apply is Friday, May 21st, 2010.

The 10 winners selected for a Bra Makeover will also star in their very own webisode wherein a makeover candidate will receive a fitting with Deyette and walk away with the perfect Playtex products. A new webisode will premier on www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com every two weeks.

Independentmami review-The music was very soothing and calming. As I listened at my desk, it relaxed me. On my drive home it cleared my head and made me forget of that bumper to bumper traffic I sat in. This cd was great for my Yoga class. It is a cd to pop in when you just want to turn down the notch. Bring everything down to a low level.

If you are looking for kiddie music for your little ones, this is the cd for you. The songs are too cute. The songs are great for singalongs. The cd has great beats to move to too. I recommend getting this cd for your kids.

Beautiful Creatures was formed in South Africa in November 2004 by Alan Glass, Ed Jordan and Paul Choritz who felt there was a need for "Parent Friendly" children's music. Using the best session musicians, actors and singers in the country, Beautiful Creatures prides itself on being uniquely South African with a positive global message.

The past five years has seen the Beautiful Creatures brand become a household name in South Africa, with books, clothes and toys as well as a T.V. series in development. As more and more Beautiful Creatures cds are sent overseas as gifts, the response has been overwhelming and the brand is now ready to take the world by storm! We are also now available online through Itunes, and keep in touch with twitter and facebook.

The most exciting development for the Beautiful Creatures team has been our BEAUTIFUL CREATURES STAGE SHOW ! A full stage production in partnership with producer Hazel Feldman.

In a fast paced world where parents and children have limited quality time, Beautiful Creature’s mission is to bring families together offering a uniquely South African brand with an educational and positive message.listen now

***Disclosure-I receive downloads of the songs for my review. No compensation was received.

Friday, May 14, 2010

For 24 hours on May 14, 2010, many of the rewards on Tropicana Juicy Rewards will be free. You do not have to spend points to get a great deal.*

What is not included?

Offers not included in this Deal of the Day:

- Norwegian Cruise Line offers- EA SPORTS Active offers

Certain offers redeemed through printed coupons can only be used three times. If you have already printed and used one of these offers three times, you will not be able to use your FREE reward to print it again.

How does it work?

If you are already a Tropicana Juicy Rewards member, log into your account, search rewards, click "Get FREE Reward" when prompted and you're good to go.

If you are not already a Tropicana Juicy Rewards member, create an account by clicking "Register" on the login page. Once registered, you can search and redeem as instructed above.

*Limit one FREE reward per account. Program Terms and Terms of Use apply.

***Disclosure-I wrote this review while participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador program by Mom Central on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

I love educational shows for our kids. So when I get information on new shows, I love passing the information along. For all those bilingual kiddos, check this show out....Dos y Dos is the only live-cast fully bilingual Spanish/English preschool show in the world! Dos y Dos is a ground-breaking, fun, educational television series for children ages for children ages 2 through 7. Every show in the series is recorded in Spanish with several words and phrases spoken in English. This allows children to be entertained in Spanish while learning elementary words and phrases in English. Dos y Dos is designed to build skills deemed critical for early childhood development. As the cast solves the "Riddle of the day", they teach fundamental core values like sharing, helping, and the importance of teamwork. Every show has three music videos performed by the cast in Spanish, with one of those music videos performed also in English, making a total of four educational music videos per half-hour episode. As each show comes to an end, children have learned something special: sometimes it may be shapes or colors, and other times it may be about things like the weather or how to mix two colors of paint together to make a new color. Best of all, Dos y Dos truly isa bilingual masterpiece, featuring a live cast singing, dancing,entertaining and educating. Dos y Dos airs nationally on the LATV U.S. network and can be seen in 45 cities, including 19 of the top 21 Hispanic markets. Dos y Dos has begun an International roll-out and will begin airing in Puerto Rico this May (Telemundo) and will begin airing in Ecuador toward the end of 2010. Look for many more announcements in the months ahead. To find a listing of current U.S. Cities, refer to the "Where to Find Us" section on our homepage.

Each episode of Dos y Dos features a segment called, "The Word Wall." The Word Wall was created to teach basic words and short phrases in English to Spanish speaking Preschool Children. The Word Wall uses a simple but effective technique of combining pictures with their corresponding words on a two-sided panel and was developed to make learning both Spanish and English fun. Each episode of Dos y Dos teaches three (3) key words in both Spanish and English. The three words chosen are words or concepts featured during the episode itself and are designed to reinforce a preschooler's natural ability to learn multiple languages easily.

The development of "early stage" skills such as patten recognition and problem solving are combined into the world's only "Puzzle Board" where puzzle clues are put into place, allowing a preschool child the ability to solve a puzzle during a controlled time environment. The cast of Dos y Dos in front of the Puzzle Board trying to solve the "Riddle of the Day." At the start of every Dos y Dos episode, a "riddle of the day" is presented which the cast members spend the show trying to solve. Preschool children are encouraged to join Dos y Dos as they solve the riddle by finding five (5) puzzle pieces and putting them into the puzzle board. When all five puzzle pieces are in place, the puzzle reveals the answer to the "riddle of the day!" Child engagement is used throughout the show as the puzzle pieces are found and put into place.

Multicultural Acceptance: Dos y Dos features customs from around the world, the explorations of international customs, and acceptance of multiple languages. This is accomplished with the English speaking character "Foto Joe" who visits the Dos y Dos cast in every episode. While the cast speaks Spanish, Foto Joe only speaks English. Instinctively, the cast translates everything Foto Joe teaches them about his travels around the world.

Dancing and singing has been proven to be an effective conduit to learning for preschool children. Dos y Dos was developed around this powerful educational tool. One fourth (1/4) of every Dos y Dos episode is dedicated to singing, dancing and the learning it provides. Through the use of song and dance, Dos y Dos reinforces the development of preschooler eye-hand coordination, exercise, and concept development through repetitive learning. The goal of every episode is to provide preschool children the ability to learn about topics and subjects by using the most effective technique of music.

Dos y Dos was developed, designed, and produced to reinforce key character traits that preschool children need to have during their developmental years. Every episode of Dos y Dos demonstrates these key values:

Teamwork: Finding the puzzle pieces and solving the daily riddle is accomplished through teamwork of the cast.

Caring and Sharing: Dos y Dos cast members always help each other and share. The cast never asks for help from each other, it is always offered, reinforcing the character trait of kindness.

Respect: In every episode of Dos y Dos, cast members respect each other and teach through demonstration, that everyone should be respected.

***Disclosure-This is an informational post only. I did not receive any compensation for this post. All information can be found on the official web page Dos y Dos

UltraSheer Liquid daily sunblock has a water-light texture that spreads easily over skin, absorbing instantly for a weightless feel and look. It provides an even, non-shiny finish that works beautiful alone or under makeup. This product also contains Helioplex® technology for superior broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection.

***Disclosure-I have been chosen to be a reviewer. I was asked to pass the word along to any interested. I am not receiving any compensation for posting this information on my blog.

So, I just came home from the gym and I told my fiancee about the challenge. I asked him to help me make sure I do the push ups right, since he is a Marine. I really didn't know how many I was going to be able to do, especially since I have been working out for 5 months now. I am tired because I just came home from the gym. I did CSI for 1 hr, kickboxing 30 mins, and finished off with 30 min Yoga.

I am on a journey to find my old body. I have been working out and eating healthy for months now. As the months pass I have been spilling my guts about my challenges and struggles. I have not lost weight since March. No weight loss in April. And now we are half way through May and I am stuck. Even though I have switched my workouts, I continue to stay in the same place. So I have been looking for other ways to challenge myself. This month I started water aerobics, and I am having fun with that.

I am a follower and subcriber of A Wrestling Addicted Mommy. She is challenging herself to do 100 pushups. I read her post and was thinking this could be fun. So I checked out hundredpushups.com and I am joining her on the challenge. It starts tomorrow, so if you want to join hurry.

I will be posting my progress, and posting pictures. Let's motivate each other. This is going to be fun!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

I am on the graduation committee for my son's school for all the fun activities they will be doing for 5th grade promotion. One of the things we have to look to print is brochures. It is so easy to create, and have shipped to you. So get started today.

Do you have a business and need to print brochures?

Enter to win:

100 Half-fold brochures

8.5x11, 100lb Paper Gloss

Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping

Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only, You must be over 18 to enter.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Synopsis-Miguel, writer of the torrid telenovela titled "Destiny of Love," is out joy riding and smoking pot with a few friends when he is pulled over by the cops. Things look dicey until Miguel reveals his occupation. It turns out that Bracho, the portly middle-aged cop, is a huge fan of the series. He begs Miguel for an inside scoop, and Miguel tells him that Gabriela, the show’s villain, will marry her lover. Bracho lets Miguel off the hook and quickly brags about the scoop to everyone he knows. Unfortunately, Ana Victoria, the actress who plays Gabriela, decides to quit the show and Miguel must write the character off the show by giving her a fatal disease. When the next episode reveals Gabriela's imminent demise, Bracho becomes the laughing stock of the police precinct. When he begins stalking Miguel, pressuring him to change the story line, matters quickly spin out of control and a hilarious sequence of events unfolds.Starring-Eduardo Santamarina, Gabriela Roel, Miguel Pizarro, Dagoberto Gama, Miguel Isaac

Independentmami's review-First of all, let me start by saying I love watching soap operas in both English and Spanish. And if you have ever watched a soap opera and love to stay glued to the tv, this movie is for you. By the end of the movie I was wondering if the soap opera in the movie, was real and what channel does it comes out on. But this movie is for anyone who loves drama, because it sure was full of DRAMA. The movie was in Spanish with English sub-titles. My family all loved it. Most of the characters from this movie are from the Spanish soap operas. It is classified as a comedy, but it had action, drama and comedy. This movie came out in February and is available now on dvd. To watch the trailer go to Mejor Es Que Gabriela No Se Muera

Sypnosis-Loyalty….Betrayal…Revenge. Revenge comes full circle in Hotel California when three former partners (Troy, Pete, and Al) with strong connections to the underground crime scene of L.A., reunite in a dingy hotel room to rehash the past. Anxiety builds as they take part in a calculated mind game of wit and loyalty. Hotel California checks you into a twisted world of crime, drugs, and murder, where tension mounts, bullets fly, and blood flows.Starring- Erik Palladino, Simon Rex, Tatyana Ali, Tyson Beckford, Yancey Arias, Raymond J. Barry, Noel Gugliemi

Independentmami's review-You may not have heard of Maya Entertainment but you have heard of the actors in this movie. Just by looking at the cover, I was intrigued to find out what was going to happen. With the eye candy, Tyson, Eric, and Simon this movie was great to watch. It was action packed. And just when you think you have the movie figured out, it all unravels differently. There were guns, blood, fights, and a whole lot of action. The movie had a great plot that keeps you entertained. This is a great movie to watch. My fiancee and I both really liked it. We both recommend you grab this dvd. It was released back in March. And it is out now. To check out the trailer, go to Hotel California.

About Us-Founded by award winning filmmaker, producer, entertainment executive and entrepreneur Moctesuma Esparza, Maya Entertainment is the only Latino media content company providing full service motion picture distribution and production. Maya produces, acquires and distributes multicultural and Latino themed product for all distribution platforms throughout the world. Since its inception in 2008, Maya Entertainment has taken on a significant social goal of transforming the image and understanding of American Latinos in our society and the world through media. With a talented group of Latino Executives committed to this mission, Maya has given rise to some of the most prolific young voices in Latino entertainment today.

As a smaller company, this undertaking has presented very worthwhile challenges that have not only been the fuel to our success, but also a key element to our continued growth as an organization. This year, with the release of more than twenty films, Maya showcased the power of Latin cinema and brought to life the stories of Latinos all over the world. Likewise, in 2009 Maya’s creativity flourished with the debut of its first annual Maya Indie Film Series. A product of very seasoned knowledge of the industry and faith in the command of the Latino demographic, the film series is the first nationally branded, touring theatrical release program in the United States exclusively featuring Latino and multicultural themed motion pictures. This year Maya provided groundbreaking cinema from acclaimed filmmakers and star talent in major market theatres across the country; a feat that gave indie Latino artists a working platform they may not have otherwise been granted. This platform, we believe, is vital to the advancement of the Latino community and our work was twice recognized this year by the Imagen Foundation.

A savvy group of experienced professionals, Maya is vigilant and has a keen understanding of the Latino consumer. Thus, our team has been able to tap creative channels that not only speak to this market but allow for very strategic marketing of its efforts. Via partnerships with retail giants such as Blockbuster and Wal-Mart, Maya Home Entertainment has effectively tapped into these stores’ lucrative DVD business which accounts for 50% of the domestic market for home entertainment.

Our Mission-Maya's mission is to create access for a new generation of authentic Latino and Multicultural voices to tell universal stories that resonate on a global level.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

I have been chosen to be a Yoursphere Test Drive Mom. Matthew and I will be reviewing Yoursphere. We will be sharing our experience with you. As a concerned parent I always want to make sure he is safe. Internet safety is a big concern. I like the parent dashboard. You add your child to the site. Then you can see what they're doing and what they've posted.

It is a social network that is kid friendly. It is free to sign up and use.

Mission: The Yoursphere MissionOur mission is to provide a safety-first online community for kids and teens through age 18 -- a dynamic, supportive environment where self-expression, creative participation, and healthy peer-to-peer relationships are encouraged.

To help keep our community free of "creepers", Yoursphere will remain in the forefront of social networking and internet safety technology. And through continually updated educational tools and awareness programs, we are dedicated to helping members and member parents understand social networking safety and protect themselves. Yoursphere is the sole youth-only social network approved by the Privacy Vaults Online Safe Harbor of the Federal Trade Commission.

While the function of the site is social, Yoursphere members are encouraged and rewarded for exhibiting good online citizenship and ethical behavior. In fact, helping others within and beyond the community is integral to the Yoursphere experience: a portion of our revenue supports charities and nonprofit organizations selected by our community; we support a members only scholarship program to help Yoursphere members realize their goals.

Set up an account today. Please be sure to include this referral code in your registration process so my sponsor knows that Independentmami sent you: YSMC-0064

•http://www.facebook.com/Yoursphere•http://twitter.com/marykayhoal

***Disclosure-"I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, and will receive a Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review.

Do your kids like to get dirty? Do you love to do laundry? Yes, am I crazy for asking these questions, NO. Every kid gets dirty whether it is grass stains or food stains but they all get stains. My son particularly loves to wear socks around the house. He doesn't use napkins, he has clothes to wipe his hands on. He is not the only one. My fiancee sweats alot at work. He has to wear a vest to protect himself at work. Sweat stains are his biggest problem, I mean mine. And then there's me. I am a walking ooops moment waiting to happen. As careful as I try to be, I always get something on me.I have heard of Oxi being the next best thing to getting stains out. And now all, a great detergent I use, has a great new product.

all® Oxi-Active™It is a 2-in-1 advanced cleaning formula in a single detergent. It falls into two rapidly growing categories: detergents with "oxi" and high-efficiency detergents. all Oxi-Active's extraordinary stain-fighting power outcleans the leading liquid Oxi detergent on tough stains like grass, and kid faves like chocolate ice-cream, chocolate pudding and grape juice - handling all of life's messes and leaving clothes incredibly clean.Guaranteeall® Oxi-Active™ cleans better than the leading Oxi liquid detergent on 4 tough stains* or we will refund your purchase price up to $5.99 (excludes tax).*grass, chocolate ice cream, wine and blood

Thanks to MomSelect and all® for sending me a full size bottle of all Oxi-Active to review.

Between us working in our yard, loving chocolate ice cream, and my son and I suffering from bloody noses, I was up to the challenge. We took the challenge and guess what, all our stains came out. This week we ate at a Mexican restaurant for Cinco de Mayo and I got sauce on my skirt. On Thursday at lunch I got hot sauce and ketchup on the ruffles of my dress shirt. My son had all kinds of stains on his uniform white shirts. And those white socks I told you about, nice and white. Load after load, my clothes came out great. They smelled great too.

Are you up to the challenge? MomSelect and all® want to give 2 of my readers a free bottle of all® Oxi-Active™.

This giveaway ends on May 24, 2010 at midnight. 2 winners will be picked by random.org. Please leave an email address. Winners will be notified by email and will have 24 hours to claim their prize. Good Luck!

I would love to introduce you to Christi from Blogging Extra Lite. Check out her blog. She is a young Latina. She works full time and goe s to school full time. Wow, I don't know how she does it. But she manages to get it all done.

Welcome

Hola! My name is Alba and I'm an Independent Mami! I live in Houston with my husband and two kids. I am a mother runner. I love to run! I talk about Family, Fitness and all the Fun we have. Food Friendly. Life is about living and not letting it live you.

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